National Federation of the Blind - AFB Directory Profile

General Information

Brief Description

NFB has affiliates in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico and several special interest divisions, including those for diabetics, educators, lawyers, parents of blind children, students, and public employees.

A complete list of all of NFB's divisions and state affiliates may be found on NFB's website.

Staff

Services Offered

Services for Adults

Sells a variety of devices and appliances for blind and visually impaired persons. See our catalog at http://secure.nfb.org/ecommerce/asp/default.asp.

Braille/Electronic/Audio/Large Print Production

Blindness-related materials.

Computer Training/Assistive Technology

The NFB Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access to Education, Public Information, and Commerce (CENA)
The CENA serves to share the considerable knowledge that the NFB and its partners have of web accessibility and access technology in order to bring about greater accessibility in government, education, and business; to promote best practices nationally; and to build Maryland’s status as leader in the field.
International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind (IBTC) - A comprehensive evaluation, demonstration, and training center, complete with over $2.5 million worth of nearly all of the tactile and speech output technology now available to the blind, the IBTC serves as a rich resource for vendor-free advice on all aspects of access technology. The IBTC is open to the public, and you can call us at 410-659-9314 option 5 or email us at access@nfb.org to make an appointment to visit.
Technology Resource List - Do you need a comprehensive list of the latest access technology available? Check out our technology resource list! From notetakers to talking books, you'll find the information you need, including contact information for the manufacturer. The Braille file is also available for download.
Creating Accessible Documents - Learn how to create various types of accessible documents.
National Federation of the Blind Strategic Nonvisual Access Partner Certification- The National Federation of the Blind has developed a rigorous procedure by which Web sites and applications that have made special efforts to be accessible to the blind can be identified and recognized.
User Experiences - If you want more than just product information, try our Access Technology Blog for first-hand stories about using access technology. The latest tips for users can be found on Access Technology Tips Blog. You can also call the access technology help line at 410-659-9314, option 5.
Accessing Consumer Electronics - The access technology team designed a consumer electronics shopping guide to help shoppers pick usable appliances and devices.
Nonvisual Election Technology - Casting a secret ballot is a right most Americans take for granted. Now, for the first time ever, speech output technology voting machines make it possible for blind and visually impaired people to cast a secret ballot privately and independently.

Reading Services

Would you like a newspaper with your morning cup of coffee? NFB-NEWSLINE® just added its 300th publication AND it's still growing. Five Spanish-language newspapers are now available to all subscribers. The service handles thousands of phone calls each day for individuals across the country who now access daily newspapers and magazines as never before. The toll-free centralized call-in center provides service on demand to any subscriber. This also enables those who cannot read conventional print to have access to all content offered on NFB-NEWSLINE® when traveling throughout the United States twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Travel/Orientation and Mobility

We believe that independence and freedom to travel are so important to the quality of life of blind people that every blind person should have a cane, regardless of ability to pay.
We are giving, free of charge to the user, rigid fiberglass canes. Please see the online application or download the paper application to view available cane sizes.
Visit our online free white cane application form now or complete an accessible PDF application online. Completed applications should be mailed to:
Free White Cane Program
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street
at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230

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